Mapes, Topil tabbed second team all-conference

Mapes, Topil tabbed second team all-conference

Senior shortstop/outfielder Nicole Mapes and junior catcher Amber Topil have been named second team all-GPAC honorees, as announced by the conference on Wednesday. In addition, junior pitcher Amanda Beeson received honorable mention accolades. All three Bulldog softball student-athletes are first-time all-conference recipients.

Mapes caught fire in the second half of the season and finished with a batting average of .305. The Greeley, Colo., native ended her career with an eight-game hitting streak as she went 11-for-32 (.344) during that stretch. Mapes split time between the outfield and shortstop and batted .357 during conference games. She also added a home run and 12 RBIs.

Topil batted .290 while starting 38 of the team’s 39 games behind the plate. The Seward native notched five doubles and drove in 14 runs. Topil did not commit a single error in 234 chances as a catcher.

Beeson, who hails from Waverly, Neb., emerged as one of the GPAC’s toughest pitchers to hit as she piled up 141 strikeouts (second in the conference) in 134.2 innings of work. She went 8-12 with an ERA of 3.69.